Warp-stop mechanism for looms



R. C. HUNTER WARP STOP MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 7 Oct. 9, 1928.

Filed Feb. 16, 1928 T/M/HE NJWN EKFNR wWf/n Patented Oct. 9, 19280 UNITED STATES" 1,687,477 PATENT OFFICE.

RUFUS C. HUNTER, OF GRAHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPEB CORPORA- TIQN, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

WARP-STOP MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed February 18, 1928. Serial No. 254,846.

so that when a warp thread breaks or becomestoo slack for weaving purposes, the drop wire may be guided in its movement to the position for loom stoppage. There is usually associated with the drop wire guides one or more warp supports over which the warp threads pass and by which they are enabled to maintain the drop wires in raised position during normal weaving operation.

It has heretofore been suggested that the drop wire guides, which are usually of light material and easily flexed or bent, be braced between theirend portions which are supported by brackets or supports at each side of the loom, and especially has this been mani:

fest where the drop wire guides are of thin or light material or the loom is of unusual width. For this purpose bridge pieces have been associated with the drop wire guides, but inasmuch as the drop wire guides themselves are frequently removed from the loom, asyt'or instance, when the warp stop mechanism is to be associated with a new warp, it is desirable that the bridge shall be so constructed and formed as to permit this to be readily done, and yet, when1n operative position, shall effectively support and brace the drop wire guides.

One of the ObJGOtS of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficient form of bridge which can be readily applied to exist ing looms in order to brace the drop wire guides and yet enable the drop wire guides to be readily removed from the loomwhen desired.

The invention and new features thereof will best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawing of one good form thereof,

lln the drawings:

, Fig. 1 is a perspective view with parts broken away showing a warp stop mechanism provided with the present invention, some at the parts being omitted for clearness of illustration; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the upper portion of the bridge of the present invention.

Since the general type of warp stop mechanism with which the present invention is concerned is well-known and familiar to those skilled in the art, it is not necessary here to illustrate and describe in detail the various parts which cooperate to eflect loom stoppa e on the occurrence of a fault in the warp thread, but it is suflicient to note that in such warp stop mechanisms there is usually a bracket at each side of the loom which affords support for the warp rests and the drop wire guides, but since these brackets or supports ma be of usual construction they are not herein illustrated.

In the drawings, the warp supports 1 and 2 extend transversely of the loom, and are shown formed as fiat bars, the end portions of which are supported in the usual side supports or brackets. In the present instance of the invention there is anadditional warp support intermediate the warp supports 1, 2, such as the bar 3, and over the warp supports 1, 2 and 3 the warp threads or pass on their, Way from the warp beam to the weaving instrumentalities.

Mounted at their ends in the side supports or brackets are the drop wire guides 4 which are herein shown as fiat bars, preferably formed of metal, and such drop wire guides are threaded through the openings 5 of the drop Wires 6, each drop wire being provided with an opening 7 through which a warp thread passesv and by which the drop wire is normally held in its raised position as indicated in Fig. 1. The particular type or character of drop wire fprms no essential part of the present invention and while the openings 7 provide a convenient means for supporting the drop wires by the warp threads, they may be otherwise formed to enable this to be done. The various forms of drop wires adaptedfor this purpose are well-known in the art, and since the particular construction of the drop wire forms no. essential part of the present invention, further description thereof appears unnecessary.

Extendm transversely of the loom between the side supports is the detector shaft 8 which is given a rocking movement through an arm 9 and rod 10 from some going partof the 100m, such, for instance, as an appropriate cam on the lower or cam shaft. The detector shaft has secured thereto the side arms 11 between which extends the detector 12 which has a path of oscillating movement, in the present instance, slightly below the lower end portions of the drop wires when they are normally supported by the warp threads during weaving. The parts so far described are, or may be, of any usual construction, and when a drop wire fails to be properly supported by its warp thread it will fall into the path ofmovement of the detector and arrest such movement, thereby acting through a train of mechanism now well understood, but not here shown, to ellect loom stoppage.

As hereinbefore stated, the present invention has to do mainly with the bridge for bracing the drop wire guides on which the drop wires are strung, as heretofore stated. The bridge consists of a plate 13 having bifurcated foot portions 14: by which the bridge may be secured to the warp supports by appropriate means such as the bolts 15.

In the present instance, the bridge 13 is secured 'to the warp supports 1 and 2, as indi cated, and the bridge itself extends'transversely of the drop wire guides.

, The bridge 13 extends upwardly from the warp supports and is provided with a central opening 16, the side walls 17 of which are separated a distance equal or substantially equal to the separation of the drop wire guides 14. Secured to the bridge 13 and extending upwardly from the opening 16 is the threaded stud 18 on which is loosely mounted the clamp 19, so that the clamp itself may move longitudinally of or rotatively about the threaded stud 18. Projecting laterally from the main body portion of the clamp 19 are the portions 20 which, when the clamp is in its normal clamping position, overlie the top portions of the drop wire guides 4.

Threaded to the stud 18 is the winged nut 21 by which the clamp is forcedinto clamping engagement with the top portions of the adjacent drop wire guides when the latter have been ositioned within the central opening of the ridge.

The lower wall of the central opening has outwardly and downwardly inclined surfaces 22, so that when the drop wire guides and bridge are brought into assembled relation, the drop wire guides are positioned outwardly to engage the side walls 17 of the cen tral opening of the bridge.

The projecting portions 20 of the clamp are likewise provided with outwardly and upwardly inclined surfaces 23 which act upon the drop wire guides to effectively brace the guides outwardly against the outer wall 17 of the central opening of the bridge.

Since the clamp 19 is loosely mounted upon the threaded stud 18 which projects in wardly in the central opening of the bridge, it is desirable that the clamp be locked in its clamping position when the parts are assembled, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and to this end the bridge 13 is provided with looking notches 24 into which the end portions 25 of the clamp projections are forced when the clamp is moved into its clamping position, with the result that when the parts areassembled as indicated, the clamp is locked from r0- tative movement and is held firmly upon the top portions of the drop wire guides 1. At this time,'also, the inclines 22, formed 011 the bottom wall of the opening in the bridge, and the inclines 23, formed on the projecting portions of the clamp, force the drop-wire guides against the walls 17 of the bridge, thus holding the parts firmly in associated relation and bracing the drop wire guides.

iVhen it is desired to remove the drop wire guides, as, for instance, in associating the warp stop mechanism with a new warp, it is only necessary to manipulate the winged nut 18 reversely, and then when the clamp has been freed from its locking position it may be raised slightly to disengagethe end portions 25 from the locking recesses in the bridge and thereupon it may be turned about the threaded stud 18 in noninterfering relation with the removal of the drop wire guides.

Where an intermediate warp support, such as 3, is employed in the warp stop mechanism, the bridge may be provided with an integrally formed hook portion 26 which may be engaged by the intermediate warp support 3, as indicated in Fig. 1. i

From the construction described it will be apparent that a simple, eificinit and readily manipulated bridge is provided for bracing the drop wire guides between the end portions thereof, and that when the parts are in assembled and bracing position, the clamp itselfis locked from rotative movement, from which it may be readily freed by reverse manipulation of the winged nut, to thereby permit the clamp to be moved into noninterfering relation with the drop wire guides that the latter may be taken from the loom.

\Vhile the invention has been described in connection with a center bridge, it is apparent that any number of such bridges may be em ployed, and, indeed, the end portions of the drop wire guides themselves may be held in place adjacent the side supports or brackets by the same character of bridge construction.

What is claimed is: I

1. In a warp stop motion for looms, the combination of longitudinally extending warp rests, longitudinally extending drop wire guides intermediate the warp rests, a bridge secured to the warp rests and having a central opening, the side walls of which are spaced apart a distance substantially equal the transverse separation of the drop wire lit;

wire uides.

- overfthe drop wire guides, and a nut threaded to the stud-above the clamping device to force the latter into clamping relation with the drop wire gu des.

2. In a Warp stop motion for looms, the

combination of longitudinally extending warp rests, longitudinally extending drop wire guides intermediate the warp rests, a bridge secured to the warp rests and having a central opening, the side walls of which are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the transverse separation of the drop wire guides, athreaded stud rigidly secured to the bridge and extending upwardly between the walls of the central opening, a clamping device loosely mounted on the threaded stud and having portions extending over the drop wire guides, and a nut threaded to the stud above the clamping device to force the latter into clamping relation with the drop wire guides. Y

3. In a warp stop motion for looms, the combination of longitudinally extending warp rests, longitudinally extending drop wire guides, a bridge secured to the warp rests and provided with an upwardly extending opening through which the drop wire guides pass, a threadedstud mounted on the bridge between the side walls of the central opening and extending upwardly in said opening, a clamp loosely mounted on the threaded stud and having oppositely projecting portions overlying t e drop wire guides, and means coacting with the threaded stud to force. the oppositely projecting portions of the clamp upon the top portions of the drop wire guides.

4. In a warp stop mechanism for looms, the combination of war supports and drop wire guides, a bridge a apted to be secured to the warp supports and having an n wardly extending central opening to receive the drop wire; guides, a threaded stud projecting upwardly in the central opening between the drop wire guides, a clamp loosely mounted on the threaded stud within said central opening and I having projecting ortions overlying the drop wire guides, an means mounted on the stud above the clamp to force the projecting portions thereof upon the drop 5;. In a warp stop motion for looms, the combination of longitudinally extending warp rests, longitudinally extending drop wire guides, a brid e secured to the warp rests and provided with an upwardly extending opening through which the drop wire guides pass, a threaded stud mountedon the bridge and extending upwardly in said open! ing, a clamp loosely mounted on the threaded stud and having projecting ortions overlying the drop wire guides, an means coacting with the threaded stud to force the projecting portions of the clamp upon the top portions of the drop wire guides and a'lock rendered efl'ective to prevent turning movement of the clamp when the latter is forced into en gagement with the drop wire guides.

6. In a warp stop mechanism for looms, the combination of'warp supports and drop wire guides, a bridge adapted to be-secured to the warp supports and having an upwardly extending central opening to receive the drop wire guides, av threadedstud projecting upwardly in the central opening between the drop Wire guides, a clamp loosely mounted in the threaded stud within said central opening and having projectin portions overlying the drop wire guides, an -means mounted on the stud above the clamp to force the projecting portions thereof upon the drop wire guides, and a lock to prevent turning movement of the clamp when engaged with the drop wire guides.

7 In a warp stop motion for looms, the combination with warp supports and drop wire guides, a bridge having an opening to receive the drop wire' guides and locking notches at each side of said opening, a threaded stud mounted on the bridge within said opening, a clamp loosely mounted on the threaded stud for turning and longitudinal movements relative thereto and having projecting portions to overlie the drop wire guides and means on the threaded stud to force the projecting portions of-the-clamp upon the drop wire guides and into the locking notches of the bridge.

8. In a warp stop motion for looms, the comblnation with warp supports and drop wire guides, a bridge having an o ening to receive the drop wire guides an locking notches at each side of said opening the lower wall of said opening having inclined portions for positioning the drop wire'guides laterally when engaged with the bridge, a threaded stud mounted on the bridge within said opening, a clamp loosely mounted on the threaded stud for turning and longitudinal movements relative thereto and having projecting portions to overlie the drop wire guides and means on the threaded stud to force the pro jecting portions of the clamp upon the drop wire guides and into the locking notches of the bridge.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RUFUS C. HUNTER, 

